Packing for homogenizers



Feb. 4, 1936. CLARK 2,029,463

PACKING 'FOR HOMOGENIZERS Filed Sept. 28, 1935 Patented Feb. 41, 1936.

f. STS

PWENT PAGKING FOR HOMOGENIZERS Application September 28, 1933, SerialNo. 691,339

1 Claim.

This invention relates to homogenizers used extensively by dairies fortreating milk and cream.

It has been common practice to clean and sterilize such apparatusperiodically, usually at the beginning or end of the days run. In fact,it frequently is necessary to clean and sterilize the apparatus moreoften if the bacteria count of the product is running abnormally high.Even with such painstaking care it has been impossible for dairymen tomaintain the bacteria count of the product as low as desired. This isdue in part, at least, to the fact that the operative parts of theapparatus have been accessible only with great difficulty. Consequently,it has been diificult to clean and thoroughly sterilize the apparatus.These difiiculties have been overcome to a large extent by theconstruction described in my copending application Serial No. 504,322,filed December 23, 1930, wherein the intake manifold and intake valvesare easily removable.

The product to be treated is supplied to the compression cylinder of thehomogenizer where it is subjected to high pressure by a plungerreciprocated in the cylinder by an external force. The stuffing boxsurrounding the plunger cannot be removed from the apparatus withoutsubstantially completely dismantling the apparatus. Consequently, it hasbeen impossible to clean and sterilize the stufilng box and the packingtherein. This stuffing box, therefore, has been a constant source ofbacteria formation which could not be overcome because the stuffing boxcould not be removed and sterilized.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome this dimculty bythe provision of a stufing box so constructed that it may be thoroughlycleaned and sterilized.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdescription in conjunction with the accompanying drawing: in which,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a portion of anapparatus embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the apparatus.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited in its application to the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and orbeing practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to beunderstood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is forthe purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intendedto limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of theprior art.

An homogenizer embodying the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing and comprises a casing It having a cylinder block Hprovided with a bore or cylinder l2. A plunger 55 extends into the borel2 and is reciprocable therein. The outer end of the plunger [5 issuitably connected to a cross head It reciprocated through a connectingrod ll connected to a revolving crank (not shown) The casing I0 isprovided with a chamber l8 adjacent the outer end or the bore 52 and isaccessible through an opening normally closed by a detachable cover l9.

The outer end of the bore i2 is provided with a threaded enlargement 22adapted to receive the outer threaded sleeve 23 of a stufling box whichsurrounds the plunger H5. The inner end of the sleeve is provided with acircular groove 24 adapted to receive a packing ring 25 for effecting arluid-tight join between the sleeve 23 and the cylinder block ii. Aplurality of flexible or compressible packing rings 33 are interposedbetween the sleeve 23 and the plunger i5. A solid packing ring 32 isinterposed between the packing rings 3t and the cylinder block Ii. Asolid pecking rings 32 is interposed between the packrings and the innerend of an inner adjustable sleeve 33 having threaded engagement with theouter end of the outer sleeve 23.

If it is desired to clean and sterilize the stufiing box the outersleeve 23 is removed from the threaded enlargement 22 of the bore l2 andis moved to the left, as viewed in Figure 1, along the plunger iii. Theadjustable inner sleeve 33 is then adjusted to force the packing rings30 out through the inner end of the outer sleeve 23 as shown in Figure2. The stufiing box may then be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized.Preferably, the packing rings 36 are split, as shown at a in Figure 2,so that they may be readily removed from the plunger 9 and thoroughlysterilized.

I claim:

In an apparatus having a stationary cylinder block provided with a borehaving a threaded enlarged outer end and a reciprocable plungerextending into said bore, the combination therewith of a stufilng boxsurrounding said plunger comprising an outer sleeve threaded in saidenlarged outer end of the cylinder and having an inner packing receivingchamber extending from its inner end to a point adjacent the outer end,the outer end portion of said sleeve being internally threaded, anadjustable inner sleeve of a length substantially equal to the length ofthe outer sleeve, said inner sleeve being externally threaded forengagement with the internally threaded portion of the outer sleeve andnormally positioned substantially outside the packing receiving chamber,and packing rings normally positioned in said chamber and projectablealong the plunger when the outer sleeve is removed from the cylinderblock and the inner sleeve is threaded therethrough.

JOHN A. CLARK.

